I think I'm a part of the first generation of journalists to skip print media entirely, and I've learned a lot these last few years at Forbes. My work has appeared on TVOvermind, IGN, and most importantly, a segment on The Colbert Report at one point. Feel free to follow me on Twitter or on Facebook, write me on Facebook or just email at paultassi(at)gmail(dot)com. I'm also almost finished with my sci-fi novel series, The Earthborn Trilogy.

Did the Real Mass Effect 3 Ending Go Over Everyone's Heads?

Mass Effect 3 has been derided since its release as having an unsatisfying and spectacularly bad finale that has disappointed fans of the otherwise phenomenal series. But now a new conspiracy theory is circling the internet, and if proven true, could mean that this terrible ending is actually pretty incredible, and we were all just too blind to see it.

The “proof” comes in the form of a collection of internet postings and a new definitive “Loose Change” style video which aims to show how we’ve all missed the point. I’ll post it for you below, and though it clocks in at twenty minutes, if you’re a fan, it’s definitely a must watch.

I won’t summarize it in full (obvious spoilers ahoy), but the general idea is that in reality, the entire ending sequence is occurring in your character’s mind. The bad guys of the series, the Reapers, are attempting to “indoctrinate” Commander Shepard, a process they use to seduce powerful figures into helping their cause, and the final choice you make is either you accepting or resisting their influence.

The details are small at first, but they start to snowball, and by the end, the theory doesn’t sound so crazy anymore. It explains many aspects of the game that are otherwise out of place. Shepard’s visions of a lost child, the fact that he winds up with an injury he supposedly inflicted on another, the two second sequence that shows him stirring in earthbound rubble at the end. And a fact not mentioned in the video, that your last save in the game allows you replay the alleged dream sequence if you made the “wrong” choice from the exact moment reality supposedly ends.

And I did in fact make the “wrong” choice according to this, and I was disturbed when I realized that two of the three options, controlling the Reapers and combining organic and synthetic life, were also the aims of the indoctrinated Illusive Man and Saren respectively. Uh oh.

What is not made clear in this theory, or the video, is what the scenes mean AFTER the decision is made. As discussed before, they all more or less show variants of the same scene, giving little or unclear resolution to Shepard’s actions. This is the sequence that upset people the most, and the video explains it away as “hopeful visions,” but that’s not exactly satisfying either.

It is also entirely plausible that the ending is not metaphorical at all. That everything happened the way we thought it did and Bioware really did drop the ball. But further evidence against this straightforward view is that Bioware has not screwed up the story up until this point, and the “indoctrination theory” being true would prove they’re smarter than all of us.

But the fact is, true or not, the indoctrination theory is a win for Bioware. Even if it’s not what they intended, enough pieces are there where if they came out and said it was true, people would believe them. They now have a way out, as they can now appropriate the theory as something they planned all along, even if that wasn’t the case.

If it really was what they had in mind, it would be a master storytelling move viewed from one angle, as it’s a huge mind-bending twist for players that was too high concept for almost everyone who played. But when you stop and consider it, the decision to handle such a twist the way they did would remain creatively atrocious. I’ve recently speculated that the “sameness” of the endings is really a plot to sell more DLC, as if there were three different, complete endings, that wouldn’t be in the cards. The fact is, even if the last sequence is the indoctrination process, it’s still a gut punch to fans to cut out a true ending, and sell it later as DLC, which I now believe has been their intention all along.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.

Comments

Honestly, I do believe that the ending we got has been BioWare’s plan for the ending since the leak back in November. However, I feel as though they dropped the ball, not in giving us this “ending,” but by not including the REAL ending in the original game. If anything, they should have pushed the game back another month or so to get it finished. I’m positive fans would have understood. And to charge fans for the real ending would be a slap in the face to all the fans out there and would make absolutely no sense at this time. I kind of get the impression that they might wind up making this free DLC, or even a huge patch to the original game, so that it is mandatory, and then add it to newer copies of the game as it is printed.

They severally screwed this up. And with them having just announced the beginnings of work on Dragon Age III, another of their HUGE titles in the pipeline, I feel like they might have to just give it to us…

The Indoctrination theory just makes far too much sense for it not to be true. And I knew they were going to make more Mass Effect games all along. They hinted at that when they said that this one would be Shepard’s last game, but not necessarily the last Mass Effect game.

Thank you for another wonderful article, Forbes has really done a wonderful job with this.

When it comes to the indoc theory I don’t personally feel it was Bioware/EA’s plan and i certainly don’t think they’re happy about this backlash at all. It all feels to rushed and last minute. Much has been made of the final hours app for iPad and the ‘lots of speculation from everyone’ note.

I do think it’s telling that many wanting a new ending also support the indoc theory. While I can’t say for certain I think many of us feel like “Okay Bioware, you screwed up, look we’re giving you a way out, take it, please.” We want it to be true, we just don’t believe it was the intention.

As for paying for the ending through DLC. Well, that’s going to net them some heavy losses in the long run, myself included.

I’m fine with the concept of paid DLC but don’t market this as the conclusion, have me buy the CE for $80 then hold the ending hostage for more money.

Good article, Mr. Tassi. I agree, either way this pans out, neither makes Bioware look ‘good’.

I disagree that Dr. M’s comments should be seen as positive, however. The post read to me like standard stall tactics used in public relations campaigns. Notice how he continues to use the many top ratings from ‘professional’ review sources, while at the same time ignoring/downplaying the large amount of negative consumer reviews by claiming they come from a small, passionate number of fans.

I feel badly for the number of consumers who are obviously unhappy with this product, though from what I understand retailers like Amazon, and even EA itself through Origin, are currently offering full refunds for the game. So perhaps it will be them, and sellers like them, that end up reaping the reward of consumer confidence and loyalty when all of the dust finally settles.

I have to say, from reading what I’ve read across Forbes and other outlets, I’m not impressed with Bioware’s handling of this fiasco and I can only imagine dedicated consumers of their products much be even less so.

Good article, Mr. Tassi. I agree, either way this pans out, neither makes Bioware look ‘good’.

I disagree that Dr. M’s comments should be seen as positive, however. The post read to me like standard stall tactics used in public relations campaigns. Notice how he continues to use the many top ratings from ‘professional’ review sources, while at the same time ignoring/downplaying the large amount of negative consumer reviews by claiming they come from a small, passionate number of fans.

I feel badly for the number of consumers who are obviously unhappy with this product, though from what I understand retailers like Amazon, and even EA itself through Origin, are currently offering full refunds for the game. So perhaps it will be them, and sellers like them, that end up reaping the reward of consumer confidence and loyalty when all of the dust finally settles.

I have to say, from reading what I’ve read across Forbes and other outlets, I’m not impressed with Bioware’s handling of this fiasco and I can only imagine dedicated consumers of their products must be even less so.

At this point, I’m so frustrated with this mess that I just don’t even want to give BioWare the satisfaction of knowing that I’m trying to critcally analyze it – but here goes. The ending was boring and stupid. The game itself was a ton of fun; like watching The Fifth Element, Starship Troopers, and Star Wars is a ton of fun. That doesn’t make it bad. Or not worthy of critcal acclaim but that also doesn’t make it more than what it is. To borrow a line from Jim Rossignol over at RPS, “Mass Effect is a huge slab of pop culture.”

Mass Effect’s presentation was never subtle. The themes were simple and presented plainly to the player. The game attempted to illicit emotions from you in the most direct way. For instance, ‘Guy dies. Dramatic piano music. Cue dramatic dialogue’ now, you can cry. Then it’s over and you’re on your merry way again. Where was the character change? Where was Shepard’s crack under the pressure? The change that comes with the loss of SEVERAL good friends? Huh? Where was that? The game did nothing to creep into my heart or my mind like reading an excellent sci-fi book does. Or even if you want to pick a game, the severely under-rated “LA NOIRE” – watch as Cole Phelps just begins to fall to pieces. The scenes between him and his mistress were heartbreaking – the motionscan tech. that was used did help.

What I’m trying to say is that if BioWare made the ending purposefully confusing and open-ended as you suggest – and something that Roy Muzyka appears to now be asserting – well…that would just be the worst kind of d-baggery. Because as it looks now, they did that so they could run around and smugly say “Well, it’s this way because it’s Art”.

Did you play all three games? Did you play through more than once and make different decisions? Dude, lots of things go down differently. Most people think that the game is absolutely exceptional until the last 10 minutes. Sounds like you played through ME3 one time, and thus don’t know what you’ve missed.

The more statements that come from Bioware, the more I’m convinced this is a scam to sell DLC. I recently bought the Final Hours app and everything in it suggests that Casey Hudson is an incredible storyteller who would take one look at a plan for an ending like this and throw the writers out of his office. This whole thing has EAs sticky, moneygrubbing fingerprints all over it.

My complaint isnt so much with the ending itself (although it was unsatisfying), its their IP so they can end it however they choose. What irritates me is that they promised this huge chain of possible endings depending on the major choices you made in the previous games and this one, and all we get is different colored explosions and recycled renders.

Well ok – I actually got it (mostly) on my first play through. From the moment Shepard is smoked by Harbringer’s War of the World heat ray thing, it’s made VERY obvious that we are not functioning in the usual manner. It is deliberately like the dream sequences and right away I was thinking “Uh, is Shep REALLY doing this? Did he really just take out a Maurader in two shots with a pistol? Where the hell are my powers?” I did not think “indoctrination” until the confrontation in the control room – the oil black stuff on the edges on the screen gave it away. Once I thought that, the rest more or less fell into place. The final thing that made me realize that what I was seeing was not in fact “real” was when Anderson’s gun shot wound appeared on Shepard, only to apparently vanish once Shep is confronted by the star child. I also choose the destroy option on the basis that it seemed obvious the child was trying to trick me into picking the other to options, going as far as making the control option paragon blue. There are of course several unanswered questions: if what we saw was not real, and Shep never actually went up to the Citadel, then is the war ongoing? Or did what we see somehow actually result in the destruction of the reapers? Is the entire end sequence the final hallucination in Shep’s mind as he breaks free from indoctrination? What is the deal with the Normandy etc? All that said, despite the unanswered questions, I think ALOT of players picked up on what was going on and much of the fanboy rage is the result of not being spoon fed a typical action movie ending. Clearly Bioware has done this on purpose, and what DLC is coming, is going to fill in some (although I bet not all) of the gaps in what we played through. Frankly, I thought it was brilliant.

Grant, the points you make do certainly give credence to the indoctrination theory. The point once again though is that if the indoc theory is true, it should have been in the game. When I play a video game, I’m not exactly sitting there analyzing it like it was a Charles Dickens novel (speaking of him, he changed the ending to Great Expectations b/c people didn’t like it). If the theory was true, this would have made a great twist ending. Play the whole sequence, fade to black, you think it’s all over . . . and then bam, Andersen’s shouting in your face trying to break the indoctrination, cue final boss battle with Harbinger. People would have had their minds blown and we would be hailing Bioware as the creators of the greatest video game ever. Assuming the theory is true, parsing out the ending as DLC was a foolish move. Pauls’ Fight Club analogy encapsulates this perfectly. If you’re going to pull a fast one on your audience, let them in on it, don’t hold the real ending hostage behind a paywall.